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Comments
Joe - Good points - but one thing I didn't mention is that the Tire dessing is also recommended for Plastic moulding (I verified w/ Sal) - and that was as much my motivation as for the tires. My wife's Sienna has a rough gray plastic that I hope to use the Z16 with next weekend.
Squid - Agreed I'll try the Z6 in a few weeks. Thanks for the info on Z7, Clay and setting the record straight on Langka. Guess I am a bit hung up on the Clay - LOL!
Armtdm - Can't really add much to Squid's excellent instructions except that for me it's more Art than Science. After about 3 tries I did one that came out perfect using the card and an old white cotton sock. Now tht I have the feel it's a piece of cake. Definitely wait the 60 - 90 minutes as instructed depending on heat/humidity.
I don't use tire dressing myself, so that's the extent of my knowledge, but if I were going to dress my tires, I'd start with a tire dressing, not a gloss enhancer for polymer paint finishes.
But it was worth the try. That's how penecillin was discovered.
You said 16, not 6.
I musta had a brain fart.
Sorry.
It seems that I seldom know what I am talking about.
Oh no!!! Another Zainoholic!! ;-)) Yes, you can clay the bug area and then use some Z2 or Z5 and some Z6. I'm guessing that you only have one coat of Z on the car? After multiple coats of Z, nothing will stick!
As for the bra, this is the first car that I ever had one for. With the aerodynamics of today's cars- sloping hoods- you have to have some protection. I use my bra if I'm planning on an extended highway trip. Otherwise, for short highway trips I don't use it. I don't keep it on for extended periods. It does protect the front of the car. I think I have some pics in my profile, if you click on my name.
Hope this helps.
fastdriver
I received my complete line-up of Zaino stuff yesterday so I'll get working on the car this weeknd and report back results!
Hope this helps.
Congratulations! That's what I was going to get too until I was at an Acura dealer and saw the CL-S up close and personal! I know I would have liked the Regal too, especially with the supercharged engine. I had that engine in my 96 Buick Riviera. It was a great car. I'm sure you'll have good luck.
The advice above about Z on the wheels is right on. I use Z2/Z6 on my wheels too.
fastdriver
I also did some spot chip painting. It looks horrible, although I followed all the instructions. (Paint instructions and Langka blob eliminator instructions.) On some of the scratches, I decided to compound. (I tried Z5 already.) The scratches didn't come out and now when I look, I can see where the paint is "duller" than the rest. I guess I'm going to leave it like that because I'm afraid I'm going to really destroy my car!
Thanks in advance, and my apologies for asking this question again.
I have used them for a while and like them a lot; it's a lot easier than using a towel for washing.
I use two for each wash; one for the top and sides, and one for the rocker pannels and the back bumper where you will get a lot of grit. This makes it unlikely that my "upper" wash mit will pick up a hard piece of grit which might not wash out and scratch the hood on the next wash.
Use two buckets: one with soap (Z7) and one with clear water; use the clear water for a rinse before getting more soap from the other. When you are done, often both will be pretty dirty.
I recently bought two more mits which I found at the Autozone down the street; I used a marker to label them on the cuff so I can tell them apart.
As my mother always taught me: keep it clean.
Thanks. That's what I use too. Couldn't remember the name. I better go out and buy more ASAP before the new ones come out.
Any new pics of that black beauty?? ;-))
fastdriver
BEWARE of POLYESTER IMITATIONS!!!!!!!
Jon
Jon
I have NO experience with Clay. Any recommendations as to how best apply it? I.E. Amount of pressure, methods, etc. I have seen some posts indicating that the clay can actually cause scratches. True on not?
Thanks, L
Quentin
Some people keep a cheap plastic dropcloth alongside the car as they clay. If the clay slips and lands on the cloth, it should be ok to continue using. Remember, drop it on the ground - throw it away. You'll NEVER get the dirt/sand off the clay!
1) I'm very glad I decided to clay - the car's finish is soooo smooth now! Highly recommended.
2) I purchased fieldcrest 100% cotton towels, washed them once before using (warm cycle / tumble dry without fabric softener). They still left quite a bit of lint on the car when I dried with them. After applying the Z1 the lint got moved out of the way, but how do you prevent it to begin with?
There is a Zaino website: zainobros.com at which you can read about, see the prices ($21.95 for the two basic products), and order Zaino.
The products are also available from Zaino distributors around the country, outlets that the distributors have developed, and some catalogs. Write Sal Zaino at: sal@zainobros.com or call the telephone number on his website for distributor information in your area.
The techniques recommended by Zaino on the website are almost universally accepted as the best way to care for your car's paint. So, the techniques plus Zaino products are, in this distributor's opinion, your best bet for retaining the best look you car can have. HOWEVER, you MAY not SEE the difference when you first apply it on a new car: one coat is sufficient to provide protection, particularly from the sun. Additional coats, applied more frequently than when rain stops beading to indicate you NEED more Zaino, will improve the appearance. I only saw what Zaino did to my 1987 Caravan when I found a spot along the edge of my tailgate door frame that I had missed; the untreated paint compared to where I had applied it was clearly visible.
Zaino is not a $5-10 one-step, but it is not the designer-type exotics at many tens of dollars a container. Depending on the size of your vehicle and what products you use, your cost could range from be $2-4 for the initial application for the lest ambitious application of the least expensive combination of products to twice that; maintenance with Zaino soap and gloss enhancer at $.50 to $1.00 a session. A reapplication of polish only could be as little as $1.50.
I do not recommend Zaino only because I am a distributor, but because I like the products. Selling Zaino has not given me a new lifestyle, just a nice interest.
Thanks again
Bill
Im planning to get Z1 and Z2 only.
I already have Meguiars Clay System, can i use this in place of Z18?
I also already have Meguiars Quik Detailer, can i use this in place of Z6?
But once you apply z1/z2 (you might want to use ZFX and Z2 instead), I would at least use the z7 wash and Z6.
I'm not sure what's in Meguiars Quik (can't they spell?) Detailer, but my guess is that it's wax, and that's the last thing you want. Use the Z6, as it is designed to enhanace the shine of the z2 (which it does). Use it between every coat of z2 and use it on the applicator to moisten it first.
I'd stay away from that stuff. We have all been there, and have boxes full of old wax-based products and other stuff that we don't use anymore now that we have Z.
You won't be sorry.
I know the Z1 and ZFX issue has been tossed around, but I have a very specific question. I truly like the idea of saving time on applications since I tend to apply multiple applications in one shot two or three times per year (spring, summer, just before snow flies). This usually means garaging the car over the weekend. Not practical for me.
However, I have had a problem with water spots on the surface after washing. To ensure no water spots remained under the Z finish, I began using z1 prior to every z2 or z5 application. Works like a charm.
With the ZFX substituting the Z1, I fear I may lose the "spot removing" ability of Z1. Will the ZFX remove the spots like the Z1 currently does?
Thanks
That is a very good question that I do not have the answer to. I have only had a "spotting" problem one time. I try to use the least abrasive way to fix it. Vinegar did not remove what I had so I next tried Z1 which worked very well. Unfortunately, the only way to find out if ZFXed mixed polish would work would be to try it out. My spots may have been different than the ones you had.
I am currently using ZFX but would worry that it would not remove the spots and since the ZFX coatings cure much faster, it would be even more difficult to remove the spots if they were sealed over. Z1 does have some cleaning ability so I hope it is not discontinued. It comes in handy for situations like yours and mine.
ZFX's main advantage IMO is the ability to do multiple coats in one day.